From Titan Corporation to the Empire of Man

Chapter 625 "After all, bugs are bugs"

The morning light penetrated the mist and fell on the new city that was rising from the ground outside the space gate front base.

This resettlement area, urgently built by Atlas, a "state-owned enterprise" of the human empire, accommodated more than 100,000 refugees evacuated from all over Mar Sara in just a few days.

The towering modular buildings gleam with metallic luster in the morning sun. On the neatly arranged streets, automatic cleaning robots are sweeping away last night's sand.

Although the building complex is still mainly composed of prefabricated residential units, the complete public facilities and stable logistical supplies have given the city a reassuring sense of order.

The layout of the new town has been carefully calculated and divided into twelve main residential areas.

Each block has an independent water supply station, power supply center and medical point.

The residential units adopt a standardized design, and each family is allocated an independent space of approximately 70 square meters. The units are equipped with complete furniture, constant temperature control system and basic sanitary facilities.

The walls are made of soundproofing materials to ensure the privacy of residents.

Although the space is limited, it is a paradise compared to the war-torn ruins of Ma Sara.

Public areas are planted with drought-tolerant plants brought from the empire, adding a touch of vitality to this steel city.

On both sides of the main roads, holographic projectors continuously play resettlement guides and safety instructions. Signs everywhere mark the locations of important facilities in multiple languages ​​to ensure that refugees of different races can find the services they need.

In the early morning, large canteens throughout the new city open on time.

These dining areas, which can accommodate a thousand people, have a streamlined design and are equipped with automatic disinfection channels at the entrance.

The refugees lined up in an orderly manner and received meal trays after their identities were identified.

Today's menu includes high-protein steaks, freshly baked whole-wheat bread, vitamin-fortified porridge, shrimp fried rice, braised noodles, etc., as well as seasonal fruits from different agricultural worlds.

The canteen has an intelligent meal distribution system that can accurately distribute food according to each person’s nutritional needs.

Children and pregnant women will receive additional calcium supplements, while those who do heavy manual labor will receive high-calorie energy bars.

In front of the food pick-up counter, Terminator-type "service units" are helping to maintain order.

These scary-looking "mechanical servants" wear symbolic white chef hats and remind people with gentle electronic voices: "Please take as needed and avoid waste."

On the holographic screen in the center of the restaurant, warning slogans were played in a loop in Chinese, the official language of the Empire, as well as other languages.

"Cherish food, clean plate is glorious",

"Take as much as you need and avoid waste"

"Waste is shameful, saving is honorable" etc.

Although the empire was rich in resources, waste would not be tolerated.

Each plate is equipped with a relatively low-tech nanochip, and the system automatically records each person's use and remaining amount.

First-time wasters will have their next day's supply quota reduced, and repeat offenders will be forced to participate in labor punishment.

In the most serious case, a man who deliberately dumped food was sentenced to one month of community service cleaning a public toilet.

As the new city's operations gradually got on track, long queues formed in front of Atlas' recruitment office, and various job requirements were displayed on the holographic bulletin board.

For example, infrastructure construction sites need skilled welders and electricians, medical centers recruit nurses, food processing plants recruit quality inspectors, educational institutions urgently need teaching assistants, etc.

Successful applicants will receive an official Imperial work permit and their salary will be settled in the Imperial official currency, credit points (cR).

These credit points can not only be used in the new city, but can also be used to spend in other universes of the empire in the future.

Vocational training centers are also being built at a rapid pace, which will provide refugees with a full range of education from basic literacy to professional skills.

In the central square stands a holographic monument.

The inscription will record the history of the great evacuation and the numbers of all Imperial troops involved in the rescue.

Every day, people come here spontaneously to lay flowers in front of the completed physical monument. They know that this is not only a temporary shelter, but also a new starting point for the human empire in Mar Sara.

Compared with the temporary new city that accommodates refugees, what is truly shocking is the front-line base that stretches across the desert. Its scale is even several times larger than the new city. It is like a metal mountain sitting on the surface of Ma Sara.

The design standards of this base far exceed the needs of conventional colonies, and its area is sufficient to accommodate millions of garrisons, logistical personnel and various war machines at the same time.

The towering alloy walls are arranged in a hexagonal pattern, and each side is equipped with an automatic turret array and a shield generator, enough to withstand orbital bombing-level attacks.

The interior of the base is divided into dozens of functional areas, including the command center, a completely completed, kilometer-high megastructure. A holographic strategic sand table is suspended on the top floor, monitoring the battle situation of the entire galaxy in real time.

The storage facilities, hundreds of meters underground, store enough weapons and ammunition to arm a million people.

The medical center is equipped with the most advanced bio-repair cabin, which can even repair trauma at the genetic level. It also has a training ground and a holographic training area that simulates various battlefield environments for new recruits and veterans to stay in combat form.

On the outskirts of the base, giant shipyards stand like a steel forest, with dozens of robotic arms operating in an interlaced manner on the slideways to inspect and maintain the docked fleet.

Several badly damaged destroyers and cruisers were quietly docked in the dock, with traces of acid corrosion still remaining on their armor. Technicians from the engineering department controlled their exclusive Hextech robots to perform precision welding and energy circuit repairs on the surface of the ship.

Not long ago, a fierce exchange of fire broke out between the three-company fleet of the Flame Lizard and the alien insect fleet.

Although the three fleets eventually repelled the Zerg's attack, they still paid a heavy price.

The engine room of a cruiser was pierced by an acid cannon, the energy shield generators of two destroyers were damaged by overload, and a frigate and some carrier-based aircraft and transport boats were destroyed. However, these losses were still within an acceptable range, and the core combat effectiveness of the fleet was not weakened.

However, what really weighed heavy on the Flame Lizards were the casualties in the ground battle.

Although the conventional units of the Zerg, such as Zerglings, Cockroaches, Mantises, etc., are huge in number, they are difficult to pose a fatal threat to the Flame Lizards wearing Titanium Power Armor.

Even against elite units like Lurkers, the Flame Lizards can still "quickly kill without taking any damage" if they are well prepared and have the cover of heavy armor.

But the appearance of the Queen of Blades completely changed the situation of the battle.

The opponent's psychic lightning directly penetrated the energy shield of the Titanium Armor, killing more than a hundred Flame Lizard warriors in just a few minutes.

In addition, the ODST and Auxiliary Forces also suffered heavy losses, with many being overwhelmed by the swarm while covering the evacuation of civilians.

Now, in the center of the base, in the assembly square, Athena, who had taken off her heavy armor, was kneeling on one knee, with her long golden hair falling on her shoulders.

She closed her eyes slightly and whispered an ancient prayer: "May the soul of the brave warrior return to the side of the Emperor and enjoy eternal peace and happiness."

"May their sacrifice create eternal glory for mankind."

Her voice was low and sacred, as if carrying some kind of power beyond the mortal world.

Around her, more than a hundred Greek minor gods also knelt on one knee and bowed their heads in silence.

These beings that came out of ancient mythology are now like the most devout warriors, paying the highest respects to their deceased "compatriots".

Above the square, a holographic projection slowly showed the list of the dead, and each name was accompanied by the emblem of the unit it belonged to.

The warriors of the 3rd Company of the Flame Lizards stood solemnly on both sides, and the servo systems of their power armor made a low hum, as if responding to this solemn ceremony.

In fact, in the "belief" system of the Human Empire, death is never the end.

Those heroic souls who fought for the Emperor, whether they were Astartes wearing power armor, or loyal Hell Paratroopers and Auxiliary Army soldiers, their souls were guided by pure psychic energy the moment the fire of life was extinguished.

Without the need for any external rituals to guide them, these souls that have been genetically screened and tempered in faith will naturally "drift" towards the heavenly realm ruled by the Emperor.

There, the golden holy light shines forever, and the fallen can choose to rest forever in the peaceful and tranquil Hall of Valor, or wash away the memories of their past lives and return to the ranks of the Empire's people with a new identity.

However, not all deceased persons enjoy this divine grace.

The souls of the local civilians of Mar Sara who unfortunately died at the hands of the Zerg, and the soldiers who once served the Terran Empire, could neither touch the glory of the Emperor nor enter the purified reincarnation system.

After all, the StarCraft universe has yet to be brought under the rule of the Imperium of Man.

These souls who failed to accept the Emperor's rule were like rootless duckweed, and could only drift in the tide of "chaos".

Even a powerful deity like Athena cannot provide guidance that breaks this cruel law. The Emperor's blessing is only bestowed upon those loyalists who have stood the test, while punishment and annihilation are the destined fate of betrayers and heretics.

On the battlefield of Ma Sara, this distinction was particularly evident.

The bodies of the Flame Lizards, Hell Paratroopers, and auxiliary troops who died in battle would be surrounded by an almost imperceptible faint golden light, which was a sign that their souls were being led away.

And on the fallen bodies of local civilians, only the cold breath of death was spreading silently.

This kind of sacred differential treatment is the cruelest and most truest embodiment of the doctrine in the "belief system" of the human empire.

Of course, within the territory of the Human Empire, the souls of those who betrayed and committed crimes would be sent directly to the realm of Hell, where they would endure unimaginable "ravage" and "torture."

Meanwhile, inside the megastructure of the Investigation Department;

"Are you sure that the one who caused heavy casualties to your Flame Lizards was a female Zerg?"

Jim Raynor's voice echoed in the conference room, with an urgency that was hard to conceal.

A crucial meeting is currently taking place in the strategic conference room on the middle floor of the building.

Around the round table formed by the holographic projection, representatives of various forces sat—

Senior members of the Investigation Department such as Leon, Mike and Chris, core members of the Rangers such as Jim Raynor and Tychus, and Captain Gao Zan of the 3rd Company of the Flame Lizards who attended the meeting via holographic images.

The holographic projection in the center of the conference room constantly switched various intelligence information. The most eye-catching one was the one known as the "Queen of Blades", Sarah Kerrigan.

At Renault's question, Gao Zan's image leaned forward and enlarged the image of the Queen of Blades to fill the entire conference room.

The Astartes Captain ran his finger across the projection, calling up a combat log.

In the picture, the creature with the appearance of a human female but covered with an alien insect shell is using its amazing psychic power to tear apart the energy shields of several Flame Lizard warriors.

"That's right." Gao Zan's voice was as cold as ice, "It was this bastard who killed my brother."

The company commander's words contained suppressed anger, which made the temperature of the entire conference room seem to drop by several degrees.

Jim Raynor's face instantly turned extremely ugly, his eyes fixed on the projected image.

As someone who had once had a close relationship with Sarah Kerrigan, he knew better than anyone what this meant.

What frightened him even more was that he had witnessed the fighting power of Astartes with his own eyes, not to mention the terrifying strength displayed by the goddess of war Athena.

The consequences of provoking the human empire would probably be more terrifying than facing the entire Zerg swarm.

Tychus keenly noticed the abnormality of his old friend. He moved closer to Raynor and reminded him in a low voice:

"Little Jimmy, it seems that your bug girlfriend has gotten into some serious trouble."

This rugged warrior rarely showed a serious expression. "I advise you not to have any more unrealistic thoughts and try to save your girlfriend. From the looks of it, she is beyond help."

Renault did not answer, but his face became even gloomier. His eyes moved between the image of the Queen of Blades and the surrounding imperial representatives, and a fierce struggle was going on in his heart.

At this moment, Leon broke the silence at the right time and heard:
"The Queen of Blades is a high-value research target. With its existence, we can introduce higher-dimensional creatures from this universe."

Having said that, Leon turned to Gao Zan's projection and continued, "So Captain Gao, in order to ensure that the Zerg no longer harasses human planets, we still need the full assistance of your company and fleet."

Leon paused and looked at everyone present: "After all, bugs are bugs. We can't believe that they will retreat forever and stop attacking human planets just because of the threat of the goddess of war."

"of course."

The highly praised answer is straightforward and concise.

The holographic image of the Astartes Captain stood straight. "The Third Company of the Flame Lizards is on standby. We will make those xenos understand the price of provoking the Imperium of Man."

There was a brief silence in the meeting room.

The battle record in the projection was still playing in a loop, and the figure of the Queen of Blades was looming in the psychic storm.

Jim Raynor finally raised his head. There was a complicated light in the eyes of the Ranger Commander, but in the end he said nothing.

Tychus patted Renault on the shoulder and sighed silently.

Everyone understood that this meeting had set the tone for the upcoming war, and in this war, Sarah Kerrigan, who once stood on the side of humans, was now completely on the opposite side of humans.

If the human empire had not judged Sarah Kerrigan to be of certain value, she would have been killed by the goddess of war Athena. After all, the human empire would not care about anything.
(End of this chapter)